With the proliferation of the Internet and intranets, there has been an increasing demand for the creation of Web sites. A Web site typically includes multiple pages having a predefined structure or layout for presenting content which, unlike the structure, may be updated and changed frequently. The structure of the page may include various arrangements of menus to navigate the site, windows or "frames" including navigation and other tools, and specifically formatted content in predefined areas of the frames. Content may include various objects and object types including, for example, text, graphics, other media and multimedia material such as audio and video presentations, and links to other objects including other Web pages. Both components defining a Web page, that is, page structure and content, are specified using hypertext markup language (HTML).
The Web site organization is defined by the various Web page links. An initial entry node in the organization of links is called the Home Page which, through the various links, allows a user to navigate to and access other objects including other objects on the current referencing page, other pages of the current Web site and objects and pages on other Web sites. The Home Page may include an overview of the structure and content of the Web site, display options (e.g., provide text only, include graphics and/or frames, etc.), and provide the links to other Web site pages: HTML documents and other objects. Thus, HTML is used to define the layout or structure of the Web pages and to provide content and links to other objects.
Among the inherent difficulties in creating and maintaining such Web sites is that the HTML used to define the Web pages (and therefore the structure, organization and content of the Web site) is difficult to compose and read. HTML is a specialized language with its own syntax, codes and terminology that requires specialized knowledge and training to interpret, understand and write. This precludes individuals without specific HTML knowledge and experience from creating a Web site or including content on a Web site, the content also being expressed in HTML.
Another difficulty is presented to a user of the Web site accessing the various Web pages and objects over the Internet. In particular, as Web sites have become more complex, users have been required to become more knowledgeable about accessing and using Web site features. For example, certain Web sites may incorporate advanced features only supported by certain Web browsers or versions of Web browsers. Other Web sites require specialized helper applications, viewers or audio players to receive certain presentations. Web site complexity has also evolved as sites have expanded.
While Web sites include various links to objects, some of which may provide assistance in connection with the use of the referencing object, there is no standardized facility of help documents provided on such Web sites. Further, even if a Web site creator attempted to include a library of such help documents with appropriate links, two problems would need to be addressed. First, the Web site creator would need to address identifying, authoring, and implementing help pages that would be displayable using a browser and be displayed in an appropriate portion of the user's display screen. Secondly, the Web site creator would need to provide means so that the help facility would be context sensitive, i.e., provide information relating to the object being accessed or task being performed by the user. Should a Web site creator attempt to create such a help facility, they would again be faced with the problem of its implementation using HTML coding.